The bridge in front of the Guangdong Revolutionary History Museum.

Guangzhou, formerly known as Canton, the capital of Guangdong province, China, was once a hotbed of revolution.  Dr. Sun Yat-Sen, considered the father of modern China, led an uprising in 1911 that became the beginning of the end of the Qing Dynasty.

The Chinese Communist Party captured Guangzhou briefly from the KMT Government (Kuomingtang) during a 1927 revolt. This uprising resulted in the slaughter of 5,000 Communist soldiers and peasants at the hands of the KMT and the disappearance of an estimated 5000 more.

The above bridge sit in front of the Guangdong Revolutionary History Museum, in Guangzhou. This building witnessed the 1911 revolutionaries claim independence, and Dr. Sun Yat-Sen sworn in as the first president of China in 1921. It is part of Martyrs Park, the burial ground of the 5000 killed in the 1927 revolt.

Given the bloodshed it is a peaceful place, massive trees covering the bridge and water.

And as some of my blogleagues do: Here’s some music.

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Shopping in Shekou, Shenzhen

The early bird doesn’t get the worm in Shekou, Shenzhen (China). Four women wander through a shopping arcade, the establishments not yet open.

Shekou is the expat area of Shenzhen, featuring international restaurants, souvenir shops, sidewalk artists, and rental rollerblades. Each weekend it’s a thriving area, filled with local residents (foreign and domestic), sightseers, and the curious.

As these women learned, don’t go to Shekou early. Shops open according to the owner’s whim.

Captured: August 19, 2008.

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A Chinese workman, gardening in the big city, growing produce among a Shenzhen community’s landscaping.

Shenzhen, China. August 2008. Canon 40D.

Guangzhou, Guangdong Province: One of the largest cities in China, and home to kings, rebellion, and martyrs. The city traces its beginnings to 214 BCE, and has been constantly inhabited.

The Pearl River, (Zhu Jiang, 珠江), the runs through Guangzhou, and has brought explorers, traders, and pirates. After the first opium war, Guangzhou was made a treaty port, allowing French and British traders to set up shop.

The guests are gone from the pavilion high,
In the small garden flowers are whirling around.
Along the winding path the petals lie;
To greet the setting sun, they drift up from the ground.

Heartbroken, I cannot bear to sweep them away;
From my eyes, spring soon disappears.
I pine with passing, heart’s desire lost for aye;
Nothing is left but a robe stained with tears.

Falling Flowers
9th Century Chinese Poet Li Shang-Yin.

Captured: July 23, 2008.

________________________ Tech Stuff: camera Canon EOS 40D focal_length 105 iso 200 aperture 8 shutter_speed 0.002

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For more than 400 years Ayutthaya was the capital of Thailand. The Burmese army sacked and destroyed the city in the late 1700s. The remnants of the palace and countless wats (Thai temples) sat decaying for two centuries. The locals, who had established a new town a few kilometers away, were afraid of the ruins and the ghosts they held.

Ayutthaya is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the ruins form Ayutthaya Historical Park. The ruins make a great day trip from Bangkok and are easily accessible by organized tour or train.

Captured: February 8, 2008.

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